CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Following their 34-16 loss to Ohio State , Illinois football enters their first of two bye weeks during the 2025 season.

The week off comes at a perfect time for the Illini, who hope to recover from a challenging 7-game stretch to open the year that saw them play three nationally-ranked opponents. Head Coach Bret Bielema says in addition to recruitment, his staff are focused on assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the team as they prepare for their final five games on the calendar.

"I know this is a resilient group," Bielema said. "We're a 5-2 football team going into a bye week. I knew that we had a late bye week so that was one thing. On the flip side of it, I thought this was going to come out of it - win or lose, this game and where we're at, I thoug

See Full Page